AtHomeWithGloriaHunnifordOctober2016 - 68

'I'm in better shape now than I was in my 40s thanks to taking up ballet lessons' years: 'I'm in better shape now than I was in my 40s,' she says. And she adds: 'Ballet is brilliant for the brain. Learning to assimilate the information to put moves together and literally think on your feet has made me feel clearer of mind.' Having had the classic portfolio career, this has meant that Christine, who turns 70 next year, is no stranger to change and is always open to new ideas and ways of thinking that have kept her young at heart. As well as ballet, she plays tennis, swims and goes walking. 'The brain is plastic and research shows that we continually make neuro connections, so you can train your brain to help you be a happier and clear-thinking person,' Christine says. 'It's like anything, it takes focus and practise.' CHRISTINE WEBBER, 69, STARTED BALLET AGED 63. SHE PUTS HER ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE DOWN TO A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE AND A WILLINGNESS TO ALWAYS TRY SOMETHING NEW GETTING PUBLISHED 'At 63, I ﬁnally fulﬁlled a lifetime ambition by joining a ballet class. 'I knew that if I didn't get on with it, I would run out of time,' Christine says. 'My mother was very against me learning to dance or act - even though her own father, who had worked in the shipyards in Glasgow, had been passionate about the theatre. 'I'd trained as a classical singer, but hadn't quite cut it, so my career led me to presenting the news on TV, followed by print journalism, then becoming an agony aunt and a psychotherapist.' 'I FEEL YOUNGER AND STRONGER. BALLET IS BRILLIANT FOR THE BRAIN' CHRISTINE'S TIPS FOR STAYING YOUTHFUL: 1 Train your brain to be happy. At the end of every day, instead of remembering the bad things, write down ﬁve things that have made you happy. Soon, positive thinking will become the norm. LIFELONG AMBITION Christine started her ballet at her local David Lloyd Club. 'In the ﬁrst class I felt nervous and was surprised at how little I knew! But every week, I picked up something new,' she says. 'I was worried I'd look stupid, but I worked at it, and between classes, I practised by watching YouTube videos, which broke down complex sequences of steps. 'The internet has been a great resource and there's a very supportive online dance community,' she adds. As her conﬁdence grew, Christine decided 068 | NOVEMBER 2016 to fulﬁl another ambition and started going to classes at London's Pineapple Dance Studios - a regular haunt for professional West End dancers. 'It's one of the few places where you get to dance with a piano accompaniment,' she explains. FEELING FITTER Now, Christine says she feels younger, ﬁtter and stronger than she has for 2 3 4 There's never a better time to do things than now. You are the architect of your own life, and your old age. Don't believe everything you were told as a child. I believed I couldn't play ball games, but then my husband encouraged me to play tennis, and now I love it! CHRISTINE WEARS HER OWN DRESS; BOOTS, NEXT; CUFF, PRIMARK Christine has written 12 books, mainly of the self-help genre, but this year, she decided to self-publish her second novel, having written her ﬁrst one in 1987. The book, Who'd Have Thought It? (£7.99, On Call), was published in June. Christine says: 'I found a good editor, a good distributor and got loads of support from the Alliance of Independent Authors.' www.christinewebber.com @1chriswebber http://www.christinewebber.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AtHomeWithGloriaHunnifordOctober2016